In an earlier than usual broadcast of NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, the panel was gleefully predicting the demise of Republicans and their future loss of the Senate. “The fact that John McCain, because of the Hispanic vote, is at risk of losing the election after five terms in the Senate and being the party standard bearer … because of the top of the ticket, and this would of course also contribute to losing the Senate,” stated NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, a known Hillary Clinton fan.
The discussion was kicked off by Lanhee Chen of the Hoover Institute, a conservative organization, who made the argument that Republicans needed to look past just winning one election. “And it seems to me that this sort of focus on a single election and winning a single election is one thing. But, really thinking about where is the party headed,” Chen asked.
Moderator Chuck Todd noted that Donald Trump used to think about the long game as well. He read quote from Trump that stated that Democrats got far with Latinos not because of policy, but because they are kind to them.
Author Ron Fournier hammered the GOP for focusing on winning the presidency and not looking beyond, “The party of Lincoln wants to win the White House. That's how cynical this is. It’s just about winning the White House.”
Democratic Congresswoman Donna Edwards agreed with Mitchell that Trump would be the reason Republicans would continue to lose:
They have already lost a generation of African-Americans, multiple generations. They're going to lose a generation of Latino voters, and they are going to lose the American public because, you know, they're not willing to call out [Donald Trump].
Finishing her thought Mitchell used the late Muhammad Ali to bash Republicans, ““Money is not god. Human dignity and integrity matter. Winning is not everything.” And that’s what Muhammad Ali would also say.” Later in the show she praised Hillary Clinton’s speech bashing Trump, claiming Clinton elevated herself in a way Trump could not counter.
Claiming Republicans will lose the Senate because of Trump is ironic since Clinton is lost ground against him in the polls, and can’t get out of the margin of error.
Transcript below:
NBC
Meet the Press
June 5, 2016
8:31:33 AM EasternLANHEE CHEN: I mean, I think at some point the Republican Party has to begin to look past just one election. And it seems to me that this sort of focus on a single election and winning a single election is one thing. But, really thinking about where is the party headed? What does rhetoric like this do to a party in 2012, after the 2012 elections, tried to assess how successful they could be with minority voters. And I mean, it’s a fundamental question.
CHUCK TODD: You know who tried to assess this? Donald Trump! This is Donald Trump in November 2012. Right after. November 6th 2012 to Newsmax.
“The Democrats didn't have a policy for dealing with illegal immigrants but what they did have going for them is they weren't mean-spirited about it. They didn't know what the policy was, but what they were is they were kind. Romney had a crazy policy of self deportation which was maniacal. It sounded as bad as it was, and he lost all the Latino vote, he lost the Asian vote, he lost everyone who was inspired to come into this country.”
Where is that Donald Trump, Ron?
RON FOURNIER: I’ll tell you, we just heard it. Senator McConnell just told you. The party of Lincoln wants to win the White House. That's how cynical this is. It’s just about winning the White House. To your point, a short-term strategy not a long term strategy.
DONNA EDWARDS: This is a party that is going to lose not only – They have already lost a generation of African-Americans, multiple generations. They're going to lose a generation of Latino voters, and they are going to lose the American public because, you know, they're not willing to call out— And for Senator McConnell to say that the party of Lincoln is only interested in winning is pretty shameful statement from my point of view.
ANDREA MITCHELL: The fact that John McCain, because of the Hispanic vote, is at risk of losing the election after five terms in the Senate and being the party standard bearer, and being someone universally admired in many quarters, Republican and Democratic, because of the top of the ticket, and this would of course also contribute to losing the Senate. I think the metaphor here is what Jim Brown just said about Muhammad Ali saying, “Money is not god. Human dignity and integrity matter. Winning is not everything.” And that’s what Muhammad Ali would also say.
